Dead leaves and the dirty ground
by LunaBay27
Summary: Charlie and Hermione notice a zing at the Battle of Hogwarts.
1. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

_Dead leaves and the dirty ground_

 _When I know you're not around_

 _Shiny tops and soda pops_

 _When I hear your lips make a sound_

Fire. Carving a path straight past the Hogwarts warriors and cutting directly into the death eaters. A large dragon, scales glinting in the light cast by a thousand spells flew right over their heads and Hermione gasped "what on earth…" she said mostly to herself, astounded by the large red beast. "Charlie! He's here, bloody hell he looks like a badass."

"He's riding a dragon?!" Harry exclaimed "Willingly! He's controlling it too"

The dragon landed and Charlie approached them, a swagger that told Hermione he knew exactly how cool he looked. The sight of his tanned, broad body and leather trousers made Hermione release a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

The dragon was circling them, keeping them safe and Ron ran to greet his brother.

"Wow" Hermione said, as she felt a slight tingle beneath her corduroy trousers.

"Someone's impressed" Harry chuckled, nudging her playfully.

"Someone's lightened up" She replied, equally teasing

The tension had subsided for a brief moment as the dragon had killed most of Voldemort's approaching army and the school had not yet been infiltrated, though they knew it was coming.

Ron and Charlie had finished talking and the two joined Harry and Hermione, who were both immediately hugged by the new Weasley.

"Harry! Good to see you again, if only the circumstances were better"

Hermione glimpsed the flick of a dragons tail on Charlies forearm and longed to remove his jacket so she could investigate further. She was lost in thought when said forearm was suddenly behind her neck as Charlie hugged her. She hugged back and exhaled, not realising quite how much she had needed that hug. _Zing_. She didn't know what it was but some tiny jolt of electricity had hit her. From his reaction, she knew Charlie had felt the same thing.

"Nice to see you again, Granger"

"You too, Charlie."

"Well I'd best go help the others prepare, this school will not be safe for long." He glanced back and met her eyes. Hermione whimpered in a way she thought strong women should not whimper.

"The bloody hell was that" Ron asked, bewildered at Hermione's wide eyes and flushed cheeks

"I think Hermione here has a little crush" Harry chuckled

"Never took you for the kind of girl to be dazzled by a man on a dragon" Ron said, poking her teasingly

"To be fair, Ron, it was quite the entrance." Harry said

" _Charlie I love you, Charlie I do…"_ The boys began, throwing their arms around Hermione and leading her into the castle singing all the way.

"I do not love Charlie!" she squealed repeatedly, her voice always got about 800 octaves higher when she was annoyed and embarrassed

They reached the castle and became somber, the faces of their classmates; scarred, bruised, torn chasing out any of the childish joy they had felt.

They went to stand by Charlie, despite the dark atmosphere Harry and Ron still repositioned themselves so Hermione was next to him. She rolled her eyes, but was internally grateful because he smelled smoky and woody and wonderful. He had rolled his sleeves up now and she could see the rest of the dragons tail, azure and beautifully detailed. She reached out without thinking and touched it. The tail flicked and she pulled back.

"He's a twitchy fellow that one" Charlie commented

"I didn't realise wizard tattoos moved" she said, looking up to meet his beautiful eyes.

"Want to see the rest?" He asked, finding her fascination adorable. Of course he knew Hermione Granger was the curious type so didn't think anything of it, even if she was quite possibly the most beguiling witch he had come accross. Remembering the _zing_ he had felt earlier he removed his jacket without hearing her answer. No matter how innocent it was, he wanted her touch.

"I hardly think this is th-oh" She began, but his jacket was already off and a large, amazingly detailed dragon was wriggling, curled around his bicep.

"Wow" she breathed, stroking the dragon and watching it respond.

She heard Harry and Ron whispering and turned to look at them. Harry waggled his eyebrows and Ron still looked shocked, very amused, but shocked. Charlie was too busy looking at Hermione to notice.

"CHARLIE" came a squeal and suddenly Molly Weasley was pushing her way through the crowd to hug her son "Darling I can't believe you're here" she suddenly changed, hitting his arm. The dragon blew a firebolt at that "what on earth were you thinking, riding that great beast through the castle like some sort of dragon-riding fool! Those things are dangerous, it's bad enough you insist on living in another country with them, now you have to give your mother a heart attack by bringing them here and riding them around like some kind of overgrown broomstick!" She ranted, but hugged him again

"That was quite the show, Charlie" Fred began

"Yeah, our brother comes sweeping into battle on a great ruddy dragon"

"Flaming Voldemorts fierce army"  
"Bet the witches will be after you, mate"

"Oh Charlie, you're a hero" George mock swooned into Fred

"Perhaps later you could ride _my_ dragon" Fred said, imitating Charlie

Charlie just laughed and Ginny swotted the twins

The walls rumbled and a cat patronus slinked into the hall " _The school has been invaded. The defenses still lie in place, but they are coming. Prepare for battle."_ and the silver cat slinked away, to deliver the message throughout the castle. The fighters in the hall stood in a circle, shoulder to shoulder, facing out, hand in hand. They were ready.


	2. Would you fight for my love?

_Well I'm afraid of being hurt that's true_

 _But not afraid of any physical pain_

 _Just as I am always scared of water_

 _But not afraid of standing out in the rain_

The battle was in full speed, Molly Weasley and Bellatrix LeStrange were fiercly duelling on one of the dining tables "If you EVER" _bang_ "Go NEAR" _zap_ "One of MY BABIES" _crack_ "Again I will come for you in the afterlife you vicious bitch" a flash of green light and Bellatrix hit the ground.

"Bloody hell remind me never to piss off your mam" Seamus Finnegan yelled, in a fierce duel with Alecto Carrow "Take that ye fucking cunt" _BANG_ and Alecto was down, Seamus as per usual was explosive.

"Language Mr Finnegan" McGonagall called as she beat the death eaters down like flies, few proved a real match for her

"SERIOUSLY? We're in a war!"

On the other side of the hall Percy Weasley also proved to be significantly more of a "Total fucking badass" then initially thought, as Ginny claimed.

"Aagh" Ginny screamed as a deatheater hit her with the cruciatus curse and cackled

"GET AWAY FROM MY GIRLFRIEND" Harry roared and ran across the hall, wand flying like some kind of madman with anger that few had witnessed before. Within seconds Harry seemed to tap into some kind of hidden power no one had witnessed before.

"Girlfriend!?" Charlie yelled

"Not the time, Char" Bill replied

"GIRLFRIEND? POTTER ARE YOU DATING MY SISTER"

"CHARLIE FOR MERLINS SAKE NOT NOW"

"Ooh Potter's angry" the deatheater mocked, stupidly it turns out as within seconds his wand was out of his hand and lodged through his eyeball. Harry punched the deatheater in the face and he was on the ground, a particularly gruesome sight.

"Well done Harry!" The twins yelled from where they were back to back, using some odd charm to raise their opponents up by their ears. Harry noticed their victim's trousers and underwear were around their ankles. The twins were damn powerful, but retained their sense of humour.

The battle continued and significantly intensified. Ginny recovered quickly, she had to or she would be dead like many of their friends were already. There was a disturbingly near miss with her brother Fred, but Charlie had prevented this just in time with a well placed petrificus totalus and a loud roar "NO YOU DON'T, MOTHERFUCKER" . He had never been very good with charms, but many underestimated the usefulness of the spells learned in second year. Much like Seamus Finnegan he was mostly just shooting fire and explosions and it was working. There wasn't really a defense spell for 'random, barely controlled explosions'.

"Weasley's have some rage in them, eh Colin" Seamus commented. "Colin?" and then he looked and Colin Creevey was on the floor, a disturbing shade of blue. Seamus inhaled and continued, praying the same fate didn't await him.

More casualties, more spells and hexes, more expletives and they were outside in the courtyard. For reasons unknown to Charlie the trio had vanished, Neville had beheaded a snake and Charlie had witnessed the cruel eyes of Voldemort himself.

It was over. The battle was done.


	3. Hey

_Uh! Said the man to the lady_

 _Uh! Said the lady to the man she adored_

 _And the whores like a choir_

 _Uh! Uh! All night_

Back at the burrow everyone was having a cup of tea.

"Wow." is all anyone seemed able to say, all were coming to grips with the odd combined emotions; loss and victory.

There was the most pregnant of pauses, no one had any idea what to say as they were all lost within their own minds; Harry, Ron and Hermione wondering what the hell they were going to do now the man they'd been fighting for seven years was finally gone.

"Bloody Hell" Ron muttered

 _CRACK_

The twins appeared

"So are we going to talk about the two surprising badasses in this house?"

"I think we should, Fred"

"I agree, George. Or how about we give them a show to jog their memories?"

Fred and George took the positions of their mother and Bellatrix, 'Bellatrix' aimed a shot at Ginny

"Not my daughter you bitch!" 'Molly' yelled and they mock-sparred until 'Bellatrix' was down, mumbling "I should have known not to mess with a Weasley" and the two took a bow.

The kitchen's occupants burst into laughter, the tension had diffused and they began to chat again.

Dinner had been consumed and compliments had been paid to the chef, full and sleepy the members of the burrow curled up in the living room listening to the wireless.

"War is over thanks to the members of a secret society known as Order of the Phoenix"  
" _The_ Order of the Phoenix" Hermione corrected and everyone chuckled. She was curled up in her favourite chair with a book and across from her on a sofa was Charlie, arms draped over the back and eyes set firmly on her.

"Now an exclusive interview with Rita Skeeter, the journalist known to be close with the Order."

Everyone groaned. "I am NOT listening to that toad" Hermione exclaimed

"Toad? More like bitch troll from hell" Ginny added

"Fine, we can listen to muggle music" Harry offered and went to get the CD player he knew was in Hermione's room as well as the CD collection the two had built together.

"What do we want to listen to?" He asked the group

"TLC!" Ginny said, her and Hermione tended to dance around their room singing _No Scrubs_

"Ooh put on that Cher woman. She's so wise" Molly had taken to _The Shoop Shoop song_

Harry made a face but obliged

 _Does he love me? I wanna know_

 _How can I tell if he loves me so?_

 _(Is it in his eyes)_

Molly had begun to dance around, kissing Arthur everytime Cher claimed that the secret to love was 'In his kiss' "He loves me!" She would proclaim after each peck

"I vote we nix this Cher woman on account of the fact she makes mum and dad gross" Charlie volunteered

Fred and George strolled into the room, eyes sparkling when they saw the big basket of CDs.

"Red Hot Chili Peppers" Fred demanded

"Or Nirvana" George offered as an alternative

"As long as we don't have to hear that Backstreet Boys nonsense" Fred said, a distasteful look on his face

Harry obliged and _Smells like teen spirit_ blared from the CD player.

"This doesn't sound very pleasant" Molly commented,

"Young people music" Arthur said and continued to read the paper

The one song choice everyone agreed was good was Aerosmith, though Molly and Arthur's eyebrows did raise with some of the lyrics.

This went on for a good couple of hours, with Run DMC and Aerosmith's _Walk this Way_ being the most popular song, with Fred and George rapping along and soon they were all dancing.

"Steven Tyler was so hot" Ginny sighed and Hermione agreed and the two girls giggled and sang along.  
Charlie was amused to see Hermione's excitement. "Charlie why aren't you dancing?" Ginny asked as Harry twirled her around and around

Hermione grabbed his hand and dragged him off the sofa. "So this is muggle music?" he asked

 _They say in heaven, love comes first_

 _We'll make heaven a place on earth_

 _When I feel alone_

 _I reach for you and you bring me home_

"This is muggle 80s music." She replied "Fun but ultimately not good"  
"I'm enjoying myself" He replied, looking directly into her eyes

Her heart beat fast, much faster than it had with all the dancing. She would have kissed him, but it was a family evening and she refused to have a big romantic moment whilst Belinda Carlisle was playing.

Later when everyone but Charlie, Hermione, Fred and George had gone to bed Hermione flicked her wand at the CD player

 _Do you always trust your first initial feeling_

 _Special knowledge, holds truth, bears believing._

Fred and George were deep in conversation in the kitchen, more than a little tipsy on Firewhisky and wouldn't notice or care. She grabbed Charlie's hand and they danced.

 _And then I knew, in the crystalline knowledge of you_

 _Drove me through the mountain, through the crystal-like and clear-water fountain_

 _Drove me like a magnet_

 _To the sea…_

Her head was on his chest and she could hear his heart beating fast, solidifying her belief that he felt that same weird _zing_ that she did. She inhaled his overwhelmingly amazing scent and felt him drop a kiss on her head. She raised her eyes to meet his and before she knew it his mouth had pressed against hers. _Zing zing zing ZING._

He gripped the back of her head and deepened the kiss and the next thing she knew they were on the sofa. _Zing_. The tiny sparks would not stop flying and she felt her heart warm up and begin to glow.

The music stopped and she flicked her wand and then dropped it, Charlie still on top of her. She was a control freak after all and these were the best damn kisses she had ever felt.

 _Hey, been trying to meet you_

 _Mmmm_

 _Hey, must be a devil between us_

 _Or whores in my head_

 _Whores at my door_

 _Whore in my bed_

 _But hey_

 _Where have you been?_

 _If you go I will surely die_

 _We're chained_

Her arms were above her head, dropping slightly over the arm of the sofa and Charlie's hands were sliding up and down her stomach, occasionally scratching her. His lips felt like fire against hers and she made sounds she wasn't aware she could make whenever he moved his lips to her ear. She tightened her knees against his hips and moved her hands to pull him closer. _Closer, closer, closer_ was the only thought in her mind as he bit her lower lip, pulling it into his mouth and sucking gently.

 _Sleeping on your belly_

 _You break my arms_

 _You spoon my eyes_

 _Been rubbing a bad charm_

 _With holy fingers_

Her hands wriggled into his hair and she clung on to him, her legs around his waist, his nails scratched against her jeans, causing small vibrations to ripple through the denim. She kissed him so hard she was sure they must be welded together by now, unable to seperate.

They heard a low whistle and looked up.

"Looks like Hermione's caught herself a dragon...tamer" The twins giggled, the firewhisky had clearly gone to their heads.

"Damn, Charlie we were taking bets and no one thought to add you to the pool"

Charlie and Hermione hadn't changed their positions, but simply looked pointedly at Fred and George who were shockingly oblivious to the 'fuck off' looks.

"Hit it, Freddy!" George drunkenly yelled, Fred went to flick his wand at the CD player, but Charlie flicked his wand at the doors, shutting Fred and George out of the room

"That was rude" Hermione said, a smile on her face

"I can be rude" Charlie replied before kissing her again

"I think I'm gonna go to bed" Hermione said, giggling and kissed Charlie goodnight

That night both Charlie and Hermione lay in their separate beds thinking of the same thing with the same song burned into their brains.

Charlie had taken the CD player into his room and gone through every single song on the Doolittle album until he had found the right one. He lay in bed listening to it, his right hand drifting into his Pyjama bottoms as he listened to every sensual sound the guitar made, he remembered the incredible sounds Hermione had made and the way her body moved beneath him.


	4. Haunting

_I was as pure as a river_

 _But now I think I'm possessed_

 _You put a fever inside me_

 _And I've been cold since you left_

The next morning Charlie and Hermione were both anxious to get to breakfast and both woke up earlier than usual. Charlie had never been jittery about a woman before, on the contrary he'd always been brash and confident that he could get whomever he desired, but Hermione was different. She sent a fire directly to his heart and Charlie liked fire. So he decided to make more of an effort than usual, he went to shower (assuming everyone was still asleep, he had woken up early after all) and bumped directly into a very damp witch.

Hermione had woken up with a smile on her face, having dreamt of the touch of a certain dragon tamer. It was crazy, she'd dated before but never had she felt this pull. It was like his kiss had put a magnet in her heart and made her drawn to him. He was like a drug and she was totally hooked. She had to have him, so she decided to make more of an effort than she usually would have. She went to shower, taking extra care to buff and polish her skin with her favourite coconut body wash. She shaved, she exfoliated and she deep conditioned her hair until she was certain she was smooth and sweet-smelling. She had butterflies as she thought of breakfast with the Weasleys and Harry. She stepped out of the shower and left the bathroom, a fluffy towel wrapped around her. She felt good.

Charlie looked at the witch in question and saw it was Hermione. He smiled as he was hit with the sweet smell of coconuts. "Morning, Hermione" he said, feeling an uncontrollable smile emerge on his face. "Morning, Charlie, you're up early" she replied

Hermione knew she looked, smelled and felt especially good at the moment and she was bursting with confidence. Charlie looked incredible somehow, with his tousled hair, shorter than Bills but longer than the rest of the boys, his tight vest revealing his superb arms that Hermione loved, they were tattooed, burnt and scarred but she found him irresistible nonetheless. His eyes were sleepy but intoxicating.

They parted and each was immediately hit with a strange sense of loss, looking back over her shoulder Hermione found him looking directly back. She had no idea what the boy had done to her but she was totally hooked. Getting ready for breakfast she made more of an effort than she generally would, wearing a not-obviously sexy but certainly tighter than usual lavender henley top with the top button undone and a black tennis skirt with tights she knew she looked good, but in an innocent and accidental way. She also tamed her hair more than she'd usually bother to, pinning the front back with bobby pins and smoothing the wild curls with an oil. Lastly she spritzed on some perfume with a woody, jasmine scent she knew Charlie would like. She was ready to seduce.

Charlie inhaled deeply as he entered the bathroom, the coconut scent had lingered and he loved it. In the shower he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, remembering the mesmerising view of a towel-wearing Hermione looking over her shoulder at him with wide eyes and the smile he saw when she noticed him staring back. He remembered the droplets of water sliding down her legs and the way the water clung to her eyelashes.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Charlie" he whispered to himself. He had _never_ felt like this before, not that he was in love with Hermione, but there was this insatiable pull inside of him that made him want her and he wanted her badly. He hit the wall with his fists as he realised he _had_ to have her. He wanted to grab her and cling on, he wanted to cover her body with his and never let go. He wanted to kiss her, touch her, grab her, fuck her.

He needed Hermione Granger or he would go absolutely insane.

Charlie wore his more flattering clothing that day, though he refused to admit it was because of her. He wore the ¾ sleeved t shirt he'd never managed to wear without some witch telling him how much it brought out his eyes and the dark jeans that always got him attention.

Breakfast was interesting, Hermione got down the stairs and the twins whistled, earning them each a smack upside the head from their mother. "You look lovely today, dear" Molly had told her with a smile "Oh really? Thank you, Mrs Weasley" Hermione had replied, playing innocent as always as she inwardly grinned.

"Seen our brother today, Granger?" Fred asked as George leaned across the counter, chin in hand with a look that said ' _tell me more, tell me more'_

"Which one?" Hermione said cooly, making a large pot of tea

"I think you know which one" Fred replied, mimicking his brother's position

"Charlie" George added with a sigh as Hermione made it very clear she wasn't giving in

"Why would Hermione know where Charlie is?" Mrs Weasley questioned the boys "...unless, Hermione dear are you particularly fond of my Charlie?" She asked, obviously containing excitement.

"Oh we know she is, mum" Fred said

"Ooh, Hermione dear it'll be so lovely to have you be a part of the family. Not that you aren't already dear, but the last name would make it that much more special" She gushed

"Mrs Weasley I think that might be a bit premature" Hermione replied

Charlie chose that moment to enter and Mrs Weasley was practically vibrating with contained excitement. She moved out of their way and watched them with Fred and George.

"You're looking nice today, Hermione" Charlie said cooly, brushing past her.

"Thanks, Charlie, would you like some tea?" Hermione inwardly cursed Mrs Weasley, Fred and George for their lack of casualness. The three of them were perched at the breakfast bar barely 2 metres away, staring with shit-eating grins. What made it even less subtle were the whispers and the fact that the three of them were crammed onto two stools. George was on Fred's lap and Mrs Weasley was next to them chattering excitedly. They watched Hermione and Charlie like a muggle watched their favourite couple on a sitcom.

Charlie accepted the tea from Hermione and felt a _zing_ from the touch of her hand that almost made him drop the mug. Their eyes met and the electric energy between them must have been obvious because there was a quiet squeal from Mrs Weasley as she obviously gossiped with Fred and George. It would have been comical if it weren't so annoying.

All Hermione wanted at that moment was for the twins and her surrogate mother to vanish and for Charlie in those ridiculously attractive jeans to lift her onto the counter and ravish her.

Ironically all Charlie wanted to do was throw her onto the counter and push that tiny skirt further up her thighs and make her scream his name.

He shook his head, these were not appropriate thoughts for breakfast time. _Why did she have to wear that fucking skirt, and the top that should be conservative but was somehow sexy. Merlin she smells incredible._

"Everything alright, Charlie?" Hermione asked, noticing his eyes tracing her figure. She 'scratched' her thigh and watched his eyes follow the skirt skimming her thighs.

"Yeah, great. Thanks for the tea." He replied, shaking himself out of his lusty daydream.

He leaned closer and whispered "Love the skirt, Granger" and Hermione grinned. Whispering back "I thought you would" Charlie grinned "Reckon we should let the rest of the family in on it?" Hermione's heart skipped "What do you mean?" she replied. "Well you didn't think I'd let you get away after last night, did you?" Charlie pulled her closer and gave her a chaste, family-appropriate kiss.

 **AN: Thanks for all the follows and faves guys, but a couple of reviews would be nice? Where does everyone want this to go?**


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